Decorate Your Mantle with Nature's Abundance and a Little Help from the Store

As previously published in Mermaids of the Lake 

I live in a lake cottage in the woods and decorating my mantle with a little help from nature is as easy as one, two, three, four! You can bring the look of nature indoors too. If you are lucky enough to be able to gather your own boughs and pine cones from your yard, roadside or even nearby park, you will find this creative project an inexpensive breeze. If not, head to your closest Michael's or Hobby Lobby (most craft stores) and purchase a few items. The grocery stores in our area even carry bags of pine cones. (the cinnamon-scented ones) You can also purchase many varieties of artificial evergreen boughs and sprigs from the craft store. If you buy a live Christmas tree from a lot, ask if you can have the branches that they have trimmed off of the trees. They usually have piles!

You Will Need

• A store-bought garland, preferably with pine cones attached 
• String of white lights (100 count) 
• Evergreen boughs 
• Candle sticks (with candles) 
• pine cones of varying sizes (Michael's even has the great big ones now) 
• Two small wreath-like rings of greenery to place on the candle sticks 
• Small bunches of red, artificial berries from the craft store 
• Heavy-duty scissors (like kitchen shears) 
• Branch snippers 
• Grandma's silver!

Happy Holidays! 

Step one: Lay out a store bought garland. I chose one from Michael's that has real pine cones attached to it. This will give you a nice sturdy piece to start tucking your bits of pine and fir boughs into.

Step two: Add the string of white lights.

Step three: Tuck in the evergreen boughs. I snip these from my yard and I have a couple of types of pine, as well as fir and balsam, so I generally use a variety. 

Note: If you want a fish or two for your holiday display... it is a much more difficult process. You must spend hours and hours on the water, patiently waiting to catch your own, and pay enormous amounts of money to a taxidermist. Slipping a vintage ornament in the mouth is easy!

Step four: Add pine cones and tuck in red berry-sprigs

I love the look of shiny, silver mixed in with the rustic pine cones and boughs.

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